Aishiteru, Daddy
by Twin Psychos
Summary: Father's Day is just around the corner and the BladeBreakers are spending it with their families. Well, except for Tenshi and Kai who have no family. But when a mysterious letter comes for Kai, will it spell disaster for the couple? KaiOC


**Aishiteru, Daddy**

**By Mishi-chan**

**A/N: Ok, it's holiday time. This is one-shot is more on the angsty side, something I wanted to write for a while now. Don't worry; it IS another one-shot featuring KaiOC, and it is following the storylines of my other one-shots. I don't think you HAVE to read my other one-shots to get it, but it would help a lot if you read the others. This doesn't include New Roads, my NejiTen one-shot from Naruto. But the holiday series does include Holly Berries and Mistletoe, Midnight of O' Hallows Eve, and Carry Your Candle. So read and enjoy and don't shoot me for writing this. XD**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Beyblade, but I do own Tenshi Hikari and Hebi Hikari. All of the other characters belong to their respective creators. Also, Saitori is owned by my friend, Crazee Pyro.**

**Also, Aishiteru means "I love you" in Japanese. I just realized this AND THE FREAKIN' ENDING WERE MISSING!!! XP**

* * *

A warm breeze wafted through the air as the sun rested high in the sky. It was a beautiful day: not too hot, but not too cool. The grass swayed gently in sync with the breeze. The sky was deep blue and clear. It was a beautiful Friday afternoon. Everything was perfect. That is, except for the Kinomiya dojo. A young navy-haired male scurried through the dojo in a cleaning fury, scrubbing and dusting every corner till it's spotless. A group of teens sat on the outside porch looking in on their usually **VERY** **lazy** friend and teammate as he sprinted back and forth across the wooden household with a mop in hand. 

"Are we POSITIVE that's the same Tyson we all know and love?" a brown-haired girl asked with a skeptical look on her face, her hands on the hips of her miniskirt. Another female with a light blue sleeveless and a pair of shorts sat near Hilary. Her icy blue bangs flittered in the breeze as she stretched her arms and leaned back against a support beam lazily.

"The same Tyson we know? Yes, although he's acting more demented than usual. But love? I think **that** part only applies to _you_, Hilary," Tenshi retorted to the annoying prep. Hilary blushed a deep red. She grunted out of irritation and turned away with a pout. Tenshi smirked at her reaction before looking back to Tyson. The World Champion was still scurrying back and forth. It **was** rather odd that Tyson, of all people, was spending his time cleaning. Tenshi glanced over at her teammates, the BladeBreakers. "And, just out of curiosity, does anyone know what on Earth he's doing?" she questioned the group. A response came from behind her.

"Being an idiot, what else?" a certain Russian replied sarcastically to her. Tenshi could almost _hear_ the smirk that was on his usually cold face. Tenshi chuckled at her boyfriend's remark before turning back to him.

"Well duh, I knew that much." Kai rolled his eyes at Tenshi. She continued. "I meant the cleaning. After all, we are talking about the laziest being alive," she commented. Max and Rei laughed. The two BladeBreakers were battling it out in the yard. Draciel and Driger danced about, collided and evading. Abruptly, the sound of rushing ceased inside the house. There was a momentary pause. A soft plodding of bare feet echoed closer. Raising his blonde head, Max looked up from the match to see a figure coming towards them.

"Well, it looks like we'll find out soon enough. Here comes Tyson now!" Max declared. He called back his blade and jogged over to the porch where Tyson had seated himself tiredly by the others. Rei followed in suit and came over with his usual fanged grin. Tyson looked up at his friends, wiping a bead of sweat from his forehead.

"Hey guys, what's up?" Tyson greeted casually as his teammates reached him. Max replied with a relaxed "not much" and Rei nodded in agreement with his friend. Tyson released a pant of exhaustion. After the exchanging of greetings, Hilary marched over and seated herself next to him with a puzzled expression.

"Hey Tyson, what's with all the cleaning?" Hilary questioned her… 'special friend'. Hilary tilted her head to the side in confusion. Tyson flashed her a broad smile and rubbed his hand behind his head. The rest of the team listened closely as Tyson began to speak.

"Well, you see," the navy-haired teen began, "My dad is coming home for special visit this weekend. His plane comes in tomorrow morning," he finished happily, his eyes brimming with excitement and anticipation. Hilary's eyes widened as she nodded in understanding, the others always nodding in agreement. Tyson's father was an archeologist. Because of that, he was almost never home. This certainly explains Tyson's odd behavior. A bemused expression consumed Tenshi's face as she leaned forward slightly to face Tyson.

"What makes this weekend so special? Why'd he pick now of all days to come?" Tenshi quizzed Tyson. Sure, it was great that his dad was coming home, but why now? An irritated look crossed Tyson's face.

"BECAUSE this Sunday is Father's Day!" Tyson rolled his eyes. "C'mon! EVERYONE knows that, that is, unless you don't **have** a fath—" Tyson's eyes widened in remembrance and mentally slapped himself for being so stupid. A look of grief and sadness briefly crossed Tenshi's face at his words. How could she forget Father's Day? And how could they forget that her father was killed almost two years ago? Although that sorrow crossed her face, it was gone as fast as it came. It was almost as if the pain was never there. Her face hardened into a somewhat forced smile.

"Oh, yeah. Of course. How COULD I forget? Silly me," she replied with grin. The smile didn't reach her eyes. Tenshi threw a downcast look to the side, but then focused back up to the rest of the team. The BladeBreakers shot each other looks. "So then, what are the rest of you doing Sunday? I mean, obviously Tyson will be here with Grandpa and his dad, but what about you all?" Tenshi asked the rest of them. Her lips were pulled back into a grin that was glossed in desperateness. Max and Rei looked at each other somewhat sadly before glancing back at their only female teammate. Max spoke first.

"Well, my mom is coming in from the U.S. tomorrow to celebrate with Dad and me," the blonde replied with a sad smile. Rei nodded then began to speak himself.

"And I'm actually leaving tomorrow morning to fly back home. I'm visiting the village and the rest of my family back in China," the neko-jin explained calmly. Tenshi nodded and her gaze swept from face to face.

"Well, that's great, you guys. I hope you all have a blast!" she exclaimed. "At least I can hang out with Kai. Forget me and just have a good time for me." When she mentioned her boyfriend's name, Tenshi shot a weak smile his way, knowing that **he** wouldn't be going anywhere for Father's day. Kai tilted his head forward in acknowledgement. Rei and Max looked at her uncertainly, and then their faces broke out into smiles. At least Kai would be here with her.

"Thanks Tenshi! I'm sure I'll have a great time!" Max assured her, running over and tackling her playfully with a humongous bear hug. Tenshi's face broke out into a true smile as she laughed joyously, trying to push away her hyperactive friend. Her laughter rang through his ears like bells in a church. With a smirk on his face at the sight, Kai turned and went into the dojo. His footsteps echoed lightly through the clean wooden halls. Walking into the kitchen, he saw a pile of letters, bills, and such sitting on the table. Kai suppressed the urge to roll his eyes. If there was one ting he hated more than losing, it was fan-mail. It seemed that every time the mail came in, there would be another date request from another obsessed girl. It was annoying. As Kai was about to turn out, Grandpa walked past the room. The elderly man then poked his head back in just for a second.

"Yo, K-man! There's a letter in that pile there for ya," the elderly, but 'hip' man announced before continuing on his way down the hall. This time Kai did roll his eyes. Going through the various bills and ads, sure enough, he found a letter addressed 'Kai Hiwatari'. There was no return address and the script set off a bell in his subconscious. Kai opened the envelope to reveal a vaguely familiar, hand-written letter. As his eyes scanned back and forth across the page, they widened out of shock.

_No, it can't be…_ Kai thought as the words registered in his mind. For a moment, breath was caught in his chest. He glanced up and out the doorway. Still outside, Tenshi sat laughing merrily along with the others. Kai's gaze rested upon her smile. Although his mind was spinning and swirling, only one thought became truly clear to him: how was he going to explain this to _**her**_…?

* * *

The sun had finally set over the hills and mountains of Japan. The air was becoming cooler and still. The stars and moon above in the dark abyss of night. Things had finally quieted down at the Kinomiya dojo. Almost everyone had left to go home. Max went home to help clean up for his mom's arrival, Rei had already packed up and set off for the airport, and Hilary (much to Tenshi's joy) had left to go home for once and celebrate the weekend with her own family. 

Tenshi sat out on the rocks by the small koi pond in the backyard. The fish swam and flailed about in their waters. All was silent when the sound of the wooden door sliding open and closing floated through the air. Tenshi whipped her head around to the source, only to come face to face with her boyfriend, Kai.

Kai walked over and took a seat by her, his cold mask still apparent, but disappearing by the second as serenity overcame his features. For a few moments, the two just sat there, comfortable in each other's presence. The only sound that resonated in the small yard was the swish of water in the koi pond. That is, until Tenshi broke the silence. "So, what do you think we should do Sunday while the others are busy?" Tenshi asked, her gaze on the night sky above their heads. "I mean, we could blade; I always need the extra practice. Or we could go to the park, we could… um—"

"Ten," Kai interrupted gently, staring vacantly ahead before gazing back at Tenshi. She looked back at him expectantly, waiting for him continue. Hesitance swelled up in his stomach as Tenshi's gaze rested upon him. Releasing a sigh, Kai avoided her gaze and looked ahead again. "I… won't be able to do anything Sunday… or this whole weekend, for that matter."

Confusion devoured the Beyblading female, her eyebrows narrowing to express her bemusement. Kai took this as a sign to explain his claim. He continued reluctantly. "I got a letter today." Tenshi's patient, but confused expression remained focused on his face. He could feel her chestnut orbs staring at him. He went on. "From my **father**."

Tenshi's eyes widened to the size of softballs. "Your father?" she repeated in shock. Kai inclined his head.

"For the first time in years. Apparently he's been living in the next town over."

Tenshi's brow furrowed into a frown. "So why hasn't he given any notice to you before now?"

Kai sighed. He knew this would happen. "I don't know, Ten. But he wants me to meet up with him this weekend to 'catch up for old times' sake'…" Even as Kai fought to keep his voice steady, Tenshi could find the traces of curiosity in his tone. Her eyes softened and a smile graced her lips as she placed her hand on his shoulder.

"Then go ahead and go," she told him. Kai eyed her from the corner of his crimson orbs. Tenshi could feel the protest behind his gaze, so she continued. "I'm sure you'll have a great time and you don't have to worry about me. I'm staying here with Tyson this weekend." Her boyfriend snorted.

"Oh well THAT reassures me…" Kai muttered sarcastically under his breath, causing a giggle from Tenshi. She shook her head with a smile on her face. Kai looked back at her with uncertainty and an expression that clearly said 'Are-you-sure-about-this?'. Tenshi nodded her head furiously.

"I'll be FINE!" she assured him. She turned on the rocks to face him fully. Warmth emanated from her eyes as she leaned in close to Kai. "Just go and have a good time!" Her expression changed to that of a glare. "Otherwise I'll beat the bloody pulp out of you!" she insisted firmly. Kai gave her a skeptical look that just screamed 'I'd-like-to-see-you-try'. Tenshi punched him playfully on the arm, then ushered him to go inside, claiming that he needed to pack up. Leaning down, Kai planted his lips softly on Tenshi's head before standing to walk in. For a moment, Kai glanced back at her and her smiling face. Tenshi waved a reassuring hand from the rocks. Kai then proceeded inside, closing the door behind him.

Tenshi released a sigh then looked up into the moonlit sky. The crescent moon glistened in the night, standing bold and strong against all the darkness. But a large, dark cloud floated across its surface for just a brief moment before passing on, the luminous light shining again. Tenshi sighed with sorrowful eyes. And just like the moon, every human has its moment in darkness; its moment when the light disappears and they break down.

_This_ was Tenshi's moment. Still sitting, but her legs now clutched to her chest, tears flowed freely from her closed eyes and the pain of loneliness returned…

* * *

Tenshi awoke the next morning feeling refreshed, rejuvenated, and all-around back to normal. After all, her whole morning was usual. The sky was blue; birds were chirping happily; Tyson was snoring. Yes, even the World Champion's thunderous snores were considered normal. Then, as usual, Tenshi slept in late and (as usual) Kai had to come into her room and wake her up. And, what a surprise,** _as usual_**, Tenshi ended up almost punching him due to her 'uncontrollable' reflexes. 

Finally getting out of bed, the female blader walked quietly through the silent halls of the dojo. A look of sheer confusion crossed Tenshi's face and she froze. Kai had already gone back to the kitchen after awaking her. Rei was gone, as was Max. But **Tyson** was still there. So if **Tyson** was still home, why was it so **quiet**? She began to proceed towards the kitchen.

Abruptly, there was a loud yelp that pierced the silence. Tenshi was taken aback by the unexpected noise. Quickly, her senses returned to her and she sprinted down the hall to the source of the noise. Sliding into the kitchen, Tenshi froze at the sight before her.

There, on the kitchen floor, on his knees and the biggest smile ever on his stupid face, sat Tyson. His hands were raised in the air as if celebrating some great event. Little did Tenshi know then, that was **exactly** what Tyson was doing: celebrating. Kai stood in front of him with an icy glare fixed on his face and an eyebrow raised. As Tenshi walked awkwardly into the room, Tyson screamed out of (what seemed to be) joy. Puzzled, the milk chocolate haired female moved her gaze back and forth between the idiot World Champion and her cold, but hot boyfriend. The questions that were running through her head were answered at the moment when Tyson leapt into the air and began to sing blissfully.

"Kai's going away! Kai's going away!" Tyson cried in a sing-a-song voice as began to prance about the kitchen. Kai sighed exasperatedly as Tyson continued to dance around the room as if he'd just won the lottery. Tenshi's eyes flickered with pain for a brief moment. She'd forgotten all about that. And it had been such a good morning too…

As Tyson pranced by the frozen Tenshi, she composed herself. Yawning, she stretched her arms out… knocking right into Tyson as he passed. Tyson fell back, his singing stopped momentarily as he put a hand to his now-aching nose. As Tyson walked out, worried about the pain on his face, Tenshi strolled by him over to Kai. She yawned again. "I'm assuming by the song and dance that you told Tyson you were leaving town for the weekend."

Kai's gaze fell back upon his girlfriend. He leaned over and kissed her briefly on the forehead. Tucking a strand of her bangs behind her ear, he smirked back at her. "Hmph. And I thought I was the genius out of the two of us."

Tenshi smacked him lightly on the arm. She then turned and grabbed an apple off of the counter. Leaning on the countertop, Tenshi was biting into her apple when she finally noticed the duffle bag that was by Kai's feet. She looked back up at him. "So, when do you leave?" Tenshi asked in a way that she hoped sounded nonchalant. Kai wasn't fooled.

"Tenshi, if you don't want me to go—"

"I told you to go, didn't I?" Tenshi pointed out. Kai nodded. She continued, "Then go! I'll be fine. You haven't seen your dad in years, right? Enjoy your time with him and forget about me. It's just about two days; I'll live."

Kai eyed her warily. From the look he was giving her, Tenshi could tell Kai still wasn't convinced. She placed her apple on the counter and walked over to him. She spoke to him softly. "Kai, I want you to enjoy this. I don't get any more chances with my dad. So **please**, enjoy this for the both of us. Besides," Tenshi looked up to Kai's face, "I don't want you to leave with that uncertain attitude. Just go and forget about what's going on here, ok?"

The Russian team captain bore his eyes into Tenshi's. He contemplated a moment before speaking again. "I'm going to drive up there; it's **only a town away**," he emphasized, annunciating each word. Tenshi resisted the urge to roll her eyes. "If something happens, or you need me, just call me and I'll be back here. Understand, Ten?"

She smiled softly and gave Kai a peck on the cheek. "Yes, I understand. Now go on! Don't keep your father waiting!" Tenshi walked with him to the door. There was already a taxi waiting outside to take Kai to the rental car place. Kai turned and faced Tenshi. Slowly, he bent down to place a kiss on Tenshi's lips. A light blush fluttered to her cheeks. Kai pulled away slightly and breathed into her face. His winter-frost breath surrounded her.

"I love you, Tenshi."

Tenshi's eyes softened and she kissed him back on his lips. Pulling back, she replied, "I love you too, Kai."

Apparently satisfied (or as satisfied he was going to be with leaving), Kai picked up his duffel bag and walked out to the taxi. He stepped into it and, closing the door, Kai looked back up at the dojo. Tenshi waved at the taxi as it pulled away from the dojo. Her heart saddened as the taxi drove off. Shaking her sad thoughts away, Tenshi turned back into the dojo, the thoughts of loneliness still egging at her mind and heart…

* * *

"DAD!" 

"TYSON!"

Tyson eagerly ran up to his dad and gave him a great bear hug. His father leaned down to hug him back. It didn't matter how old somebody was; it was always great to see parents when they haven't been around. Tenshi and Grandpa stood in the doorway as the two Kinomiyas were reunited. Almost as a unit, the father and son walked back up to the house. Tenshi had to assume Tyson got his navy-blue hair from his mother; his father had rich brown hair, though he still had the spiked up-and-everywhere look to it. He had the word 'father' written all over him. Smiling, the older man walked up to Tenshi.

"You must be the infamous 'Tenshi' Tyson mentioned in his letters," Mr. Kinomiya laughed. He held out his hand for her to shake. She took it.

"And you must be the father of the biggest idiot on the planet."

Tyson fumed, but his father's laughter cut him short. "I wouldn't go that far; he **does** take after me, after all!"

Tenshi chuckled along with him. He was going to be easy to get along with. Grandpa hooted. "Alright, you youngsters! Let's go inside now!" Grandpa began to lead the way inside when Mr. Kinomiya clapped a hand onto the elder's shoulder.

"It's great to see you, Dad," he started as he walked alongside him. A wide grin spread across Grandpa's face. As the two began to walk and talk their way inside, Tyson sidled up next to Tenshi.

"Hey, Tenshi? Could you lay off the idiot cracks for now? At least until my dad leaves?" he asked her, all seriousness on his face. Tenshi looked back at him and cracked another smile.

"No problem."

Tyson seemed purely shocked at her easy response. The female smirked at him and waved a finger in his face.

"Tsk, tsk, Tyson! See what happens when you _ask_, instead of yelling and biting everyone's head off?" Tenshi pointed out. Tyson gave her a small smile. Even though they were always picking at each other, deep down there was friendship.

Tenshi smirked. "So, remember: ASK, do not yell, when you finally want to get Hilary on a date with you."

**DEEP** down.

All trace of smile was gone from his face. Tenshi bolted and didn't look back. She smiled as she heard Tyson yell behind her.

"TENSHI!"

The only response he got was her laughter as it rang through the halls. With a grumble, Tyson followed his family and so-called 'friend' into the dojo.

…

"Tyson! Where'd you put my hair-dryer when you cleaned yesterday?!" Tenshi yelled as she walked down the halls, grumbling all the way. She'd just finished her daily shower and all she wanted to do was finish her hair. Her chocolate hair was soaked and dripping wet. So she climbed out of the shower and guess what? No hair-dryer. Then Tenshi remembered: Tyson was the last one to clean the bathroom. And thus, here she was yelling at him.

She rounded the corner to see Tyson loafing on the couch with a bowl of popcorn. His father was nowhere in sight. There was a fire in her eyes as she stepped in front of the T.V. "Tyson, I'll ask you one more time. Where. Is. My. Hair-dryer?" Tyson bobbed and weaved around Tenshi's body as he tried to watch the television. Tenshi growled in annoyance. She turned around and turned off the T.V. screen. Tyson cried out with a shout. In response, Tenshi just glared back.

Tyson got up with a huff and pushed her gently out of the way as he turned the screen. "Your hair-dryer is in the cabinet! Now move!" he growled back in light irritation. Tyson plopped back down on the couch and glanced back at the kitchen doorway before continuing to watch the T.V.

Tenshi glanced at the screen. "What are you watching anyway?"

Tyson grinned immediately. "Home videos! I figured Dad would want to see what's been going on since he left!"

Tenshi gazed at the screen. This video was just taken a week ago. She watched the screen; Tyson was blading against Kai when a baseball popped over the fence and hit him in the head. The camera was jostled by the holder's laughter. She could tell it was Max. That's when a sad smile slipped onto her lips. Tenshi didn't turn around when she spoke. "So you're going to show these to your dad, Tyson?"

"Yeah! He wants to see it; that way it's almost like he's been here!"

Tenshi sighed softly. "You're lucky you can still show him these things," she muttered. She continued to watch the film in silence; she didn't even notice when Mr. Kinomiya slipped into the room and sat next to Tyson on the couch. The shots were of common things: Tyson getting hit in the head with something, Tyson running into something hard, Max fighting with Tyson for the last piece of chicken at dinner… Then came the shots from Christmas. The camera zoomed in as Kai kissed Tenshi that fateful Christmas Eve almost two years ago. Tenshi heard a laugh from behind her.

"So it's true. Tough Kai decided to finally get a girlfriend. I wouldn't have believed it if I hadn't seen it!" Mr. Kinomiya commented. Tenshi flushed a light rose and Tyson's eyes widened in fear.

"Crap! I thought I deleted that segment! Kai's gonna _**kill**_ me!"

**FLASHBACK**

"_Merry Christmas Tenshi," he said before giving her another kiss, just a peck on the cheek. The girls awed at the sight and the boys just gawked at the sight of their captain in such a state. Kai then stood up and walked right up to Tyson's face with a death glare fixed on his face. "Show __anyone__ that picture and you'll be doing push-ups for the rest of your life, without food." Tyson gulped and nodded his head vigorously as Kai stepped back and sat down, wrapping his arm around Tenshi's shoulders._

**END** **FLASHBACK**

Tenshi chuckled at the memory before looking back at Tyson with a smirk. "Kai's not going to be happy if he finds out you didn't."

Immediately, Tyson clamped a hand over Tenshi's mouth and silenced her. "Shush, Tenshi! If Kai finds out, I'm a dead man!"

With his hand over her mouth, Tenshi couldn't reply. However, the glare on her face distinctly said 'He-won't-find-out-if-you-get-the-heck-off-of-me'. Tyson sheepishly took his hand away from her mouth. Tenshi frowned at him.

"So, how long have you been with Kai?" Mr. Kinomiya inquired out of curiosity. Another blush crept to Tenshi's cheeks. She grinned at him weakly.

"About a year and a half."

Tyson rolled his eyes at her reaction. "Oh, c'mon! You've been dating _forever_! Stop blushing already! Jeez!" This earned him a smirk from the female.

"Hey, ask Hilary out first, **then** we'll talk about relationships."

Tyson's face burned red in embarrassment and anger. His father quirked an eyebrow at him. "Hilary? Isn't that the brunette girl from down the street?" he asked, racking his brain. Tyson glared at Tenshi.

"Thanks a lot, Tenshi!" Tyson muttered. Tenshi shot him a smirk of triumph.

"So, Tenshi, how long have you been here?" the elder Kinomiya asked her, trying to break up the fight. Tenshi beamed back at him.

"It will be two years this fall."

Mr. Kinomiya let out a low whistle. "Wow, that long, huh?" A frown crossed his features. "But what about your family? Don't they want you to live with them?"

Tenshi's heart skipped a beat. Tyson picked up on the hesitance. "Dad," he said, "Tenshi's family is dead."

Mr. Kinomiya looked sorrowfully at Tenshi. "I'm sorry. I didn't have any idea."

Tenshi shook her head lightly. "It's all right; you **didn't** have any idea. It was a long time ago now." She shifted uncomfortably under Mr. Kinomiya's sympathetic gaze. Glancing furtively at the two, Tyson took a step in-between the two. "Hey Dad! I have more tapes to show you!" he announced while walking to the television.

Tenshi took this as her cue and exited down the hall. Deciding to finish her still-wet hair, she headed to the bathroom. Stepping into the room, she opened up the cabinet under the sink and, lo and behold, her hair-dryer sat on the bottom. Tenshi leaned down and picked up her hair-dryer, but let out a startled gasp when she stood back up. In the bathroom mirror, it wasn't her own face staring back at her.

It was her father's.

Tenshi started, then shook her head. Glancing back at the mirror, Tenshi's face stared back at her again. She finished her hair without a word and then slipped quietly back into her room. Sliding the door closed behind her, Tenshi walked over to her futon and took a seat. Gently, she pulled out a small photo from her pillowcase. Staring back at her was her family: her mom, brother, herself, and her father. A voice rang through Tenshi's mind.

'_Oh, Tenshi; you may look like me, but I see more of your father in you every day!'_ Her mother's voice reminded her. As a child, Tenshi had laughed it off. As a late teenager, she smiled weakly. Everyone always said how much Tenshi looked like her mother, aside from the freakishly natural icy-blue bangs. But in her actions, attitude and just about everything else, they saw a part of her father. Her chest had swelled with pride at that fact. Now it only reopened the wound inside her heart.

Droplets of water plopped onto the photograph in her hand. Tenshi's eyes widened slightly; she hadn't even realized she was crying. _Daddy…_ She mentally whispered.

No one answered.

An idea popped into her head. Tenshi glanced out of the window; it was still day outside. Getting up, Tenshi looked down the hallway. Tyson and his dad were still watching home videos. Drawing the door to a close, she looked back at her bags, then to the photo in her hand. Maybe it was time to go on a little trip…

* * *

Meanwhile, Kai sat in the parlor of an expansive mansion. Exquisite china lined the walls decoratively and polished floorboards shined. Sunlight sparkled through the skylight above him. Kai was seated at a circular marble table, a cup of untouched tea in front him. Across from him, however, was a different. 

An older man was seated on the other side of the table. He had cropped brown hair. His face was rough, but also friendly and open. He leaned against the back of his chair and rested one hand on the table. The sleeves of his button-up shirt were rolled to his elbows. The older Hiwatari took a sip of his tea and rested his gaze on Kai. "So, how have you been these past years?"

Kai looked skeptically. "Hmph. You would know if you hadn't left me when I was younger," he deadpanned. His father stared back at him with a glint in his eye.

"Now, Kai, don't jump to conclusions. Do you really think that I would—"

"Leave the family of your own free will? I don't know; you tell me."

Mr. Hiwatari shook his head despairingly. "Kai, you don't know the whole story. Just let me explain." Taking Kai's silence and searching gaze as a sign to enlighten, the elder Hiwatari continued. "After you were born, I worked for your grandfather: _my_ father, Voltaire. He wanted me to take over the family business since he wasn't about to hand it over to a stranger." He sighed, "Well, we all know what kind of business that ended up being."

Kai suppressed his memories as images of the Abbey and Boris floated through his mind. However, his face did harden slightly. This was enough for his father. "Anyways, earlier before all of that was known, I wanted to work with Beyblades. I wanted to build them for every-day children to use, so they could experience the joy of the sport. Your grandfather detested that I do such a thing. He forced me into a position where I had to choose between the company and my dreams. I chose Beyblading."

Kai's eyebrow was and his expression clearly read 'So?'. Mr. Hiwatari's gaze deepened. "Your grandfather disowned me when I chose that path; I had no rights within the Hiwatari family. Your mother left with me, but Voltaire won custody of you." He breathed a deep sigh. "And _that's_ what happened."

Glaring searchingly at his father's face, all Kai could read was the sincerity that rang in his eyes. "If that's true," Kai started warily, "then where's my mother?"

A familiar flash of pain flickered in Mr. Hiwatari's eyes. He averted Kai's gaze. "She… died over a year ago. She had leukemia."

Kai's breath caught in his throat briefly before he glared at his father again. "Then what took you so long to contact me? Hm?"

His father looked almost desperately at him. "You have to understand; it hasn't been the easiest year for me—"

"But why not before that? What stopped you then?"

Kai's question stopped him in mid-sentence. Mr. Hiwatari shifted so both of his forearms rested on the table. He stared straight into Kai's eyes and said, "Because I wasn't sure if you'd take me back then either."

The younger Hiwatari's crimson eyes rested upon his father's. The two just sat there for a moment. In silence. Staring. Kai released a soft sigh then took one last glance back at his father. "I'm **18** this year and you've been gone almost my entire life. I don't know if I'll be able to think of you as my 'father' in the figurative sense—"

Mr. Hiwatari's gaze dropped and averted to stare blankly at the table.

"—however, I might be able to grasp it with time."

The older man looked back to see Kai stare back at him with a blank face. There was no sense of emotion on his face, but Mr. Hiwatari saw the possibility, a ray of hope. And at that moment, that was all that mattered. Kai held his hand out across the table. Mr. Hiwatari shook it thankfully and hopefully. A wide smile was on his face.

Just as the elder Hiwatari opened his mouth to speak, a loud ring tone shattered the silence. Rolling his eyes, Kai pulled out his cell phone and glanced at the caller ID. For the briefest moment, Mr. Hiwatari could've sworn he saw a trace of emotion flicker through Kai's eyes. "Excuse me," Kai excused himself from the table. Mr. Hiwatari nodded a reply and he watched as Kai quickly strode out into the foyer. The elder Hiwatari stared after Kai, the grin still on his face. He had been given a chance and, realizing what kind of person Kai had become, this was a blessing.

Meanwhile in the next room, Kai glanced again at the number. It was **definitely** the Kinomiya dojo. He flipped open his cell phone. "Hello?" he grunted into the phone. It was not the voice he expected that answered him.

"Hey, Kai!" Tyson chirped from the other end.

Kai rolled his eyes. "What, Tyson?" he growled into the phone. Kai glanced at the doorway as Mr. Hiwatari leaned against the doorway to the foyer. There was a note of hesitance on the other end. "Tyson?" he asked again. "_What_?"

"He, he; nothing's wrong, Kai. What would make you think that?" Tyson replied. He sounded nervous.

"I never said anything was wrong—Tyson…" Kai began to growl again, "**What** is going on?"

There was a murmur of voices on the other end. Kai glared at the phone, as if imagining Tyson's face there. Eventually Tyson answered. "Well, you see, Kai…"

"Spit it out already!"

"TENSHI'S MISSING!"

Kai's heart stopped. He began to hope he misheard his idiotic friend. "…_what_?!"

Mr. Hiwatari noticed the sudden change in his son's demeanor. He watched as Kai continued to hiss into the cell.

"_Tyson…_**what did you say**?"

On the other end, Tyson yelped noticeably. "It's not my fault, Kai! Honest!" the World Champion pleaded. Kai growled.

"I don't care, Tyson!" he barked. "Where _**is she**_, Tyson?"

"I don't know, Kai! That's why I called: to see if she was with you!" Tyson yelled from the other end. "She went to go do her hair then went into her room a couple of hours ago. We checked to see if she wanted to go to dinner, and she was gone. Everything, Kai. Her clothes, bag, _everything_."

Kai froze. No. It couldn't be… No. He refused to believe it. "_Everything?_" he repeated, as if it were a curse word to even consider the possibility. He could almost hear Tyson nodding over the phone.

"I called the rest of the team; she's not with them, but they're on the look-out for her. And I tried calling Sakura, but she wasn't available, and Hiniku just told me to bug off," Tyson reported. Kai could make out his mutter afterwards about 'vicious women'. Kai shook his head in disgust and clamped his phone shut. He ran a hand through his spiky hair and cursed under his breath. He knew he shouldn't have left her alone there; he _knew_ it! Kai knew it was going to be hard for her since it was Father's Day weekend…

Abruptly, Kai's thoughts froze. **Father's** Day weekend. That's it. A fire lit up in Kai's crimson eyes. He knew where she was. Swiftly, he dialed the number of the airport. When the clerk picked up, he demanded, "Two round-trip tickets from Japan to the U.S. and back." He rushed through the rest of the conversation then hung up. As he began to march out of the mansion, Kai froze, then looked back at his father. The elder Hiwatari stared back at him with compassionate eyes.

"She's that important, huh?"

Kai gave him a slight nod. Without another word, Mr. Hiwatari motioned for him to go on. Kai immediately obeyed. Walking to the window, he watched as Kai pulled into the driver's seat of the rental car and sped off to the airport. A small smile was placed on his lips.

* * *

It seemed like the airplane was moving at a snail's pace. Kai couldn't help but feel this way as the aircraft flew closer and closer to his destination. Thoughts ran, blurred through his mind. She would come back, wouldn't she? She didn't do anything stupid, did she? Was she even _there_? What would he do if she weren't? Would he be able to find her? 

There seemed to be more questions with every mile, each of them unanswered. As the plane neared the ground, Kai quickly gathered himself together because when that door opened, he was gone. Kai soared out of the airport. Another rental car was waiting for him outside. Oh, the power of having so much money.

He climbed quickly into the driver's seat and drove off. The car moved swiftly through the streets. Dark clouds had occluded the sky and rumbles could be heard in the distance. Water threatened to fall. But amidst the darkness, a fire still burned in Kai.

After miles of searching, he turned and parked in the parking lot of a small building.

The local police department.

In a flurry, Kai was inside. He strode up to the front desk with power. The female officer at the front desk grinned at him. "Hello, sir. How can I help you?" she asked him. The way she kept batting her eyelashes made her look like she had a mental problem. Kai suppressed the urge to roll his eyes.

"I want to know where Hebino Hikari was buried."

The female gave him a surprised look. "Um, that's an odd request—"

"Can you give me directions or not?" Kai growled. Time was ticking and so was his patience.

Giving him another look, the officer stood and walked into the back room. Kai stood there at the front desk. It seemed forever before she walked back in, a slip of paper in her hand. She held it out for him. "Here's the address and directions—"

Before she could even finish her sentence, Kai snatched the slip from her hand and moved quickly out of the building. Sitting back into the driver's seat, Kai gave the directions a look-over before pulling out of the parking lot. A drop of water fell onto the front window. And another. And _another_. Rain continued to pour from the sky, steadily getting harder and harder with each passing moment. The water beat mercilessly on the windows as Kai sped down street after street.

Eventually, Kai found himself at an open field. Tombstones lined the hills. Parking the car on the side of the road, Kai got out of the car. He didn't bother with an umbrella. Silently and swiftly, he moved amongst the stones and hills. Mud sloshed under his feet. The dead lay in his wake. Searching and searching, Kai's crimson eyes looked about the cemetery furiously.

He had to find her.

Just as he reached the last hill of the cemetery, his breath caught in his throat and relief flooded his gaze. In the short distance, he saw a thin figure kneeling on the grass. Even hunched over, it was apparent it was female.

He walked toward her slowly. Reaching her, Kai stood behind her. The rain continued to pour down on them. He stood there in silence for a moment. She hadn't heard him approach. Quietly, he kneeled next to her.

"Tenshi…" Kai whispered into the rain. Tenshi looked up abruptly and Kai could finally look at her. Her brown and blue hair was drenched and her eyes were wide in surprise. With the downpour, Kai couldn't tell if the water on her face was rain or tears. A small bouquet of red roses was in her hands. She seemed at a loss for words.

"… Kai…?" It was almost like a question, as if she was in disbelief that he was actually there. Her voice had quivered when she spoke. Kai nodded. For another moment she just stared at him.

Then she broke.

Dropping the roses, Tenshi flung herself into Kai's arms and clung tightly to his shirt. Kai pulled her onto his lap as he wrapped his arms around her. And there they sat for a while. The sound of the pounding rain covered the cry of Tenshi's soft sobbing. And all the while, Kai said nothing. He just continued to hold her.

After reality had seemingly sunk in, Tenshi pulled away from his chest to gaze up at him. Her chestnut orbs bore into his crimson eyes. "What are you doing here?" she asked finally.

Kai frowned. "You run away without a word and you ask me what I'm doing here?"

She shook her head. "No… I mean, how did you know…?"

"Everyone wants to be with their father on Father's Day weekend, don't they?"

A sad smile slipped onto her lips before she dug her head back into his warm chest. Suddenly, she noticeably stiffened in his embrace. Tenshi then looked quickly back up at him. "Aren't you supposed be with _your_ father?"

Kai pressed his forehead against hers. "If you're seriously suggesting that I would spend time with someone I just met rather than go look for **you**, then you are crazy."

There was tug at Tenshi's heartstrings as he spoke those words. Her gaze softened. Leaning back, Tenshi unwrapped one of his arms from around her. She then took his hand in hers. "Kai, there's someone I want you to meet," she spoke softly. Taking his hand, Tenshi placed it gently on the tombstone before them. She moved his hand slowly across the letters engraved into the stone. "Kai, this is my dad: Hebino Hikari," she said to him. The ghost of a smile was on lips. Her gaze shifted to the stone. "Daddy? This is Kai: my boyfriend."

There was a flutter in her stomach as she said those words. She began to speak again, this time to Kai. "My daddy was killed before I ever had a boyfriend. He never got to see it when I finally fell in love…"

Kai hugged her tighter with his one arm. She smiled at him again before turning back to her father's grave. "Daddy…" she started softly. Another tug from Kai encouraged her. "Daddy, I wish you could be here to meet him. I wish you could see how much he loves me and how _happy_ I feel with him. I haven't felt so happy in a long time…" Tenshi paused. "Daddy… I _**love**_ Kai. I love him so much. I just wanted you to meet him." A whispery chuckle escaped her lips. "It wouldn't be right if my dad didn't meet the man I love."

Silence consumed the couple once again as Tenshi fell back into Kai's chest. The pounding rain continued. Kai felt a tremor that sent throughout Tenshi's body. He glanced down at his girlfriend. She was sitting comfortably in his arms with a faraway look in her eyes. She didn't even seem to realize she was shivering. After a moment, Kai stood and he pulled Tenshi to her feet. "It's raining and you're drenched. We should leave before you get sick," he grunted to her. Tenshi nodded in agreement. She shot one last glance at her father's grave, a smile on her lips. "I love you, Daddy. I will always love you, no matter where you are."

Tenshi then turned to start moving back to the rental car. Kai followed shortly after, but not before stopping and looking back the grave. His crimson eyes glanced from the roses to the engraved name. "Sir," he whispered softly. "I will always love your daughter. So thank-you; **thank-you** for her. She's helped me in more ways than either of us will ever know…" Kai trailed off, his crimson eyes gazing at the stone. With parting words, Kai followed after Tenshi to the car.

Neither of them saw the pale, bald form that lingered over the grave, a smile on his ghostly lips…

* * *

The rain slowly began to let up as Kai drove the car back into town. Tenshi sat quietly in the passenger seat, listening to the silence. Kai spared a glance from the road to look at her rain-soaked appearance. "If Sakura and the others don't know you're here, then where did you leave your stuff?" he asked, looking at her from the corner of his eye. Tenshi turned back to him with a sparkle back in her smile.

"Sakura, Hiniku, and Kaze aren't the **only** friends I have here," Tenshi retorted. Kai suppressed the urge to roll his eyes.

"Fine," he grunted. "Then where _is_ your stuff?" Kai heard a chuckle from his right.

"It's at my friend's house: Saitori. She was going to let me stay with her over the weekend." Tenshi felt her eyes lower to look at her feet. "I didn't want to burden the others. I hate making them feel like they have to spend holidays with me because I have no one else."

As they reached a stoplight in the road, Kai shifted in his seat to look at his girlfriend. He stared into her chestnut orbs. "You don't **make** them feel anything. They spend time with you because you're their friend and they care about you. Tenshi, you're not a burden on anyone." A soft smile returned to her lips as she gazed back at Kai. She leaned over and kissed him softly on the lips.

"Thank-you, Kai."

Kai grunted again as he turned back to the road to go through the crossing. "No; it's thank **you**, Tenshi." Then he added under his breath, "You have no idea how much I should thank you."

Though his tone was low, she still heard him. Tenshi laughed openly. "I think I'm starting to get an idea." Her eyes turned to the road in front of them. "Oh, Kai! Turn right here!" she suddenly demanded.

Without another word, Kai turned down the designated street. He was greeted by row after row of houses. He continued to drive slowly down the neighborhood drive. "Right here." Tenshi pointed out a house on his left. It was quaint house. The kind one imagines when they think of the perfect life. The garden was full and green. It was surrounded by a white picket fence. Climbing out of the car, Tenshi walked up to the front door. Kai turned off the car and strode up to the front porch step alongside Tenshi. They waited a moment before a tan-skinned female opened the door.

Kai could make a safe assumption that it was Saitori. She had cute, black curly hair that was pulled back into a ponytail. Her attire consisted of a pair of jeans and a baby t-shirt that had a smiley face on it. Her eyes were a vibrant chocolate.

"Saitori," Tenshi started. Kai's assumption was confirmed. "Turns out I'm not staying all weekend. Can I grab my bag?"

The tan female, Saitori, gave her a big smile and nodded. She then stepped back and allowed Tenshi walk inside. She then shot a wary glance at the tall male that followed after her. Catching the look, Tenshi smiled at Saitori. "It's okay, Saitori. This is Kai," she introduced briefly. A flash of familiarity sparked in Saitori's chocolate eyes.

"_Oh_!" She drew it out as realization dawned on her. Saitori then shot a smile at Kai and allowed him by. He gave her a nod of acknowledgement. As he started after Tenshi upstairs, a soft voice cut him off. "So you're taking her back home?" Saitori queried. Kai grunted an affirmation. A smile spread across Saitori's lips. "I don't know how you managed to convince her, but good job!"

Kai watched as Saitori shot a look upstairs. She continued on, "I tried to convince her to go home, or at least to call you all. Nothing seemed to reach her." Her gaze returned to rest on Kai's face. "And you come out of nowhere and do the impossible."

Kai smirked. "She's not impossible; just difficult."

Saitori giggled. Without another word, Kai walked upstairs. He came across a room with its door closed. He gave it a soft knock. After getting a shout in response, he opened the door. Tenshi ran furiously about the room, searching for all her belongings. The Russian male leaned on the doorframe as Tenshi gathered her belongings and packed her bag back up. A moment later, she turned and walked over to him, bag in hand.

"Ready to go home?"

"Yeah. I am," Tenshi replied. She gave him another peck on his lips, but this time Kai's own lips seized hers. A familiar tingle went down her spine as their lips connected.

"Uh… Tenshi?" an uncertain voice called out. Tenshi quickly broke away and look at her friend who stood wide-eyed in the hall. A blush flushed her cheeks as she walked slowly over to Saitori, who seemed just about to burst into a fit of laughs.

"Yeah, thanks for letting me stay anyway, Saitori," Tenshi thanked as she fought her blush. Saitori giggled again.

"It's fine, Tenshi. Anytime!" she chirped happily. She gave her friend a hug before smirking. "Oh, and the offer extends to you **and** _**Kai**_, too!" This earned Saitori a light punch from Tenshi in the arm. Both of them laughed it off as Kai came up next to them. His gaze rested on Tenshi.

"I'm ready, Kai," Tenshi responded to his silent question. Giving Saitori another hug, Tenshi than jogged out of the house and back out to the car. The rain had begun to cease. It was now only a light drizzle. Kai helped her get her bag into the car, then climbed back into the driver's seat. Tenshi continued to wave at Saitori as they drove out of site of the beautiful house. Situated back in the passenger's seat, Tenshi turned back around and looked at the road ahead of them.

Keeping one hand on the steering wheel, Kai used the other to hold Tenshi's hand as he drove. "You have good friends, Ten," he spoke into the comfortable silence. A wide smile spread across her lips.

"I know, Kai. I know…"

* * *

"So you're Tenshi? It's very nice to meet you." 

"It's very nice to meet you, too, Mr. Hiwatari," Tenshi replied to the elder Hiwatari. After Kai and Tenshi's flight had gotten back in late the night before, they had stayed back at the dojo for the night and drove back up to the Hiwatari's mansion in the morning. They now found themselves seated in the dining room having breakfast with the older man. Tenshi was grinning up at Kai's father. He smiled back.

"How such a happy girl like you ended up with that grump I'll never know!" Mr. Hiwatari chortled. Tenshi giggled. From the other side Tenshi, Kai grunted.

"The apple doesn't fall far from the tree," he grunted in response. Tenshi fought to suppress her laughter as a false cross look passed Mr. Hiwatari's face.

"Now, now. Don't talk back to your father," the elder boomed. There was amusement in his eyes. Kai grunted again.

"As if."

Tenshi rolled her eyes and focused back on her food. Men would be men. Hiwataris would be Hiwataris. It was quite a combination. Their host turned back to Tenshi. "So, Tenshi, what kind of things does you like? Besides Kai, that is."

She ignored the last comment for the sake of her momentarily un-blushing cheeks. "Well," Tenshi began. "Of course there's Beyblading, but also basically any kind of sport."

Mr. Hiwatari grinned. "So you're a very active person?"

"Sometimes hyperactive."

Kai was slapped in the arm for his comment. He sent Tenshi a challenging stare, daring her to do it again. She waved him off and turned back to Mr. Hiwatari. "Yes, sir," Tenshi chuckled. "Though when I do rest, I prefer somewhere… scenic, peaceful."

The elder Hiwatari shot a look at Kai's attentive gaze on Tenshi as she spoke. He cracked another grin. "Well, Tenshi, I believe you would love the backyard here. Have you taken a look since you got here?"

Tenshi shook her head then glanced at the back door. "May I?" she asked Kai's father. He nodded back to her and then she glanced at Kai. "I'll be right back, Kai."

Kai nodded to her and watched as she walked to the glass door. He smirked as her expression changed to that of pure awe.

"Oh, my gosh!"

Tenshi's eyes widened and her grin widened. She shot a questioning glance back at the two Hiwataris. Mr. Hiwatari nodded and motioned for her to go on. Her smile widened farther as she stepped out into the yard. Standing from the table, Kai walked over to the doorframe and looked out.

It truly was beautiful, practically endless. A garden stretched across the yard. Roses, snapdragons, petunias, everything one could imagine. At the back, there was a small wood. A small, rock pathway led to it and a small pond that lay in the back. The water glistened from the streams of sunlight that cracked through the trees.

Kai continued to smirk as Tenshi pranced about the beautiful scene. He watched as Tenshi knelt by the small pond. It seemed like her smile was so big that it would burst. Kai continued to watch her as a figure came up next to him.

"So, she's _the_ _one_, Kai?"

Kai said nothing back to his father, but the glint in his crimson eyes said it all. He heard Mr. Hiwatari chuckle behind him. "That's what I thought."

Meanwhile, Tenshi was sitting under the shade of the green canopy. Fish swam about in the pond next to her. Leaning against a tree trunk, Tenshi closed her eyes and breathed. It was like long ago, on one of the many camping trips her family always went on. The birds, the fish, the sun… It was all like a memory. Her father's face came to mind. But this time, the sadness didn't linger. Her smile became peaceful, serene. It was always her father who insisted on camping. And then, being in a peaceful so new, yet familiar… it was like he was back.

"Tenshi."

Tenshi opened her eyes slowly as Kai called her name. She turned her head and looked back towards the mansion. Kai's sparkling crimson eyes were gazing back at her. Slowly, almost reluctantly, Tenshi stood and made her way back to him. When she reached him, Tenshi flashed Kai a grin and he smirked back. As she turned to go in, she looked back once more at the garden, a faraway look in her chestnut orbs.

A gloved hand grabbed her own. She didn't have to look away to know who it was. Tenshi stared up at Kai with a smile as he slowly led her inside. As she left the comforts of one for another, a sole thought crossed her mind:

_Aishiteru, Daddy._

* * *

**There you have it, folks. I got really emotional with this one, so I hope you all enjoy. I just want to remind everyone at times like these (holidays) that you should love what you've got, but hold memories close. They are the bridge from your past to your future. Sometimes it gets hard, but no matter how bleak, there's always someone there to pick you up. Never forget that. And yes: I know I sound like a broken record player XD This is just something that a lot of people take for granted, so I feel the need to pound it into others' heads in my own way. I'll leave you be and I hope you all have a great weekend!**

**Mishi-chan**


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